Adjustable intraocular lenses and methods of post-operatively adjusting intraocular lenses

Abstract

Disclosed are adjustable intraocular lenses and methods of adjusting intraocular lenses post-operatively. In one embodiment, an adjustable intraocular lens can comprise an optic portion and a peripheral portion. The peripheral portion can comprise a composite material comprising an energy absorbing constituent and a plurality of expandable components. A base power of the optic portion can be configured to change in response to an external energy directed at the composite material.

I claim: 
     
       1. An adjustable static-focus intraocular lens, comprising:
 an optic portion; and 
 a peripheral portion coupled to the optic portion, 
 wherein the peripheral portion comprises a composite material comprising an energy absorbing constituent and a plurality of expandable components, wherein the expandable components are expandable microspheres, and wherein each of the expandable microspheres comprises a blowing agent contained within a thermoplastic shell, and 
 wherein a base power of the optic portion is configured to change in response to an external energy directed at the composite material. 
 
     
     
       2. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the base power of the optic portion is configured to change between about 0.05 D to about 0.5 D in either a positive or negative direction in response to pulses of the external energy directed at the composite material. 
     
     
       3. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the external energy is laser light having a wavelength of between about 488 nm to about 650 nm. 
     
     
       4. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the external energy is laser light having a wavelength of between about 946 nm to about 1120 nm. 
     
     
       5. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the external energy is laser light emitted by a femtosecond laser. 
     
     
       6. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 1  wherein the composite material is formed as discrete peripheral components such that directing the external energy at one discrete peripheral component causes a change in the base power of the optic portion and directing the external energy at another discrete peripheral component also causes a change in the base power of the optic portion. 
     
     
       7. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic portion comprises an optic fluid chamber and the peripheral portion comprises at least one peripheral fluid chamber in fluid communication with the optic fluid chamber. 
     
     
       8. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 7 , wherein the composite material is configured as a chamber expander, wherein the chamber expander is configured to expand in response to the external energy directed at the chamber expander, wherein expansion of the chamber expander increases a volume of the at least one peripheral fluid chamber, and wherein the base power of the optic portion is configured to decrease in response to the external energy directed at the chamber expander, and wherein the chamber expander is configured as an expandable column extending from a chamber anterior wall to a chamber posterior wall. 
     
     
       9. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 7 , wherein the composite material is configured as a space-filler, wherein the space-filler is configured to expand in response to the external energy directed at the space-filler, and wherein expansion of the space-filler decreases a volume of the at least one peripheral fluid chamber, and wherein the base power of the optic portion is configured to increase in response to the external energy directed at the space-filler. 
     
     
       10. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 7 , wherein the peripheral portion is configured as at least one haptic, wherein the at least one peripheral fluid chamber is defined within the at least one haptic, wherein the at least one peripheral fluid chamber extends only partially into the at least one haptic. 
     
     
       11. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the energy absorbing constituent is an energy absorbing colorant. 
     
     
       12. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 11 , wherein the energy absorbing colorant is an azo dye. 
     
     
       13. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 11 , wherein the energy absorbing colorant is graphitized carbon black. 
     
     
       14. An adjustable static-focus intraocular lens, comprising:
 an optic portion; and 
 a peripheral portion coupled to the optic portion, 
 wherein the peripheral portion comprises a composite material comprising an energy absorbing constituent and a plurality of expandable components, wherein each of the expandable components comprises a blowing agent contained within a thermoplastic shell, and wherein the blowing agent is expandable, wherein a base power of the optic portion is configured to change in response to an external energy directed at the composite material. 
 
     
     
       15. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 14 , wherein the blowing agent is an expandable gas. 
     
     
       16. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 14 , wherein the blowing agent is a branched-chain hydrocarbon. 
     
     
       17. An adjustable static-focus intraocular lens, comprising:
 an optic portion; and 
 a peripheral portion coupled to the optic portion, 
 wherein the peripheral portion comprises a composite material comprising an energy absorbing constituent and a plurality of expandable components, wherein each of the expandable components comprises a blowing agent contained within a thermoplastic shell, and wherein the thermoplastic shell is made in part of nitriles or acrylonitrile copolymers, wherein a base power of the optic portion is configured to change in response to an external energy directed at the composite material. 
 
     
     
       18. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic portion comprises a light splitting surface profile defined on a lens surface of the optic portion. 
     
     
       19. The adjustable static-focus intraocular lens of  claim 18 , wherein the light splitting surface profile comprises a plurality of diffractive zones.